Tag for water-pipe valves.



J. A. COLE.

TAG FOR WATER PIPE VALVES.

APPLIGATION IILBD 111111124, 1909.

1.061,730. Patented May 13, 1913.

. had to the accompanying drawings, forming UNITED JOHN A. come, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TAG FOR WATER-PIPE VALVES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led J une 24, 1909. Serial No. 504,104.

Patented May 13, 1913.

Toall whom, t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN A."COLn, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tags for Water-Pipe Valves, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being a part of this specification.

My invention relates to devices for use in connection with valves for'water and other pipes, such devices being intended to be arranged inside of the manholes or other boxes in which the valves are located.

Prominent objects of my invention are: to arrange for the easy indication of the condition of the valve; to permit this to be readily and inexpensively done; to arran e to vkeep a permanent record of the con ition the valve has been in from time to time throughout a given period, such asr each week, month or year, or longer, as the case may be, and to accomplish the foregoing and other desirable results in a simple and expeditious manner.

In carrying out my invention in the way herein set forth, I provide a tag, which is to be hung 'in the manhole box, either by at tachment to the manhole box or its cover, either directly or indirectly. This tag has provisions for indicating the valve number, and also for indicating the condition in which the valve was left at the time it was last changed or manipulated. The tag also desirably has provisions for indicating the date when theta is removed from the manhole box and re urned to the otlice of the company, and the condition of the valve at such time. In this way, the tag is first hung in the box and the valve number and condition of the valve indicated upon the tag. The valve remains in that condition for a certain period of time until, for some reason or other, it is changed,-either opened or closed, as the case may be. At this time, the change made in the condition of the valve is `indicated on the tag, and also the date ofsuch change, and the tag is removed from the box and taken to the otlice and deposited there. Thus the tag, when in the box, shows the condition of the valve, whether open or closed, and the time when it was put 1n that condition, and when removed from the box and deposited in the oice it givesa record of the condition of that valve for the period y of time covered by the ta When the tag is removed, ofcourse anot er one is placed in the box with the proper indication.

As a preferred arrangement, the tag is provided with series or sets of numbers, which can be unched to indicate the valve number, and a so suitable words to indicate the valves condition, and also suitable` names of months and numbers, which can be unched to indicate the day of the month an year on which the valve was put in con-4 dition, and on which it was changed and removed from the valve box.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a view ofa valve box contalning a tag embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a simllar-view of a modied use of the tag, and Fig. 3 is a view of the tag itself.

n Fig. 1, I show a manhole box 1, having a cover 2, from which' is hung a plate 3, which is preferably a reversible valve-indi cating device, such as is shown in -my ap lication for patent, Serial No. 454,649, ed September 24, 1908: Upon the device 3 1s hung a tag 4, as, for example, by a wire -5 having a seal 6. The tag4/is conveniently made of paper or cloth, as desired, and is provided with two parts, a and b. The part a has a series of numerals c, which, in proper combination, can be punched to indicate the number of the valve. It also has the words Left closed and Left open, either one of which can be punched to indicate the condition in which the valve was left. It also has the months of the year and a series of numerals d, from 1 to 31 inclusive, one

of which can be punched to indicate the day.

of the month. It also has at the left hand end a series of numbers indicating calendar years. The other part, d, of the tag has the instructions: Date this end and return to oice when taken oft' valve. It also has the words Closed and Opened, the months of the year, and a series ofnumerals to indicate the day of the month. The tag, when first put upon the valve, is to have its lefthand portion or end a properlypunched indicate the valve number, the condition 1n which the valve was left, and the day of the month and year when it was left in such condition. When Ithe valveV has its condition changed, the right-hand end or portion d is to be punched to indicate the chan e which was made and the day and month w en such change was made. Whenthe tag is in the manhole, an inspection of 1t will at once inios and filed, obviously makes a record of the' history of the valve. I

In Fig. 2, the tag is shown attached directly to a staple or the bolt 7 in the manhole cover. The use of the tag in connection With the device of my said other application,- obtains the advantages of the other device as well as those of the tag, and at the same time assures' the number of the valve being always present and visible, so as readily to identify the What I claim is: l v

A device for use in indicating an initial condition and a subsequently changed condition in valves comprlsing a tag separated faeially into two divisions andprovided with a means of attachment, both divisions hav.

ing permanent characters to be used in indicating relatively different dates, one of said divisions also having permanent'characters by which to indicate the valve number and a permanent checkable initial condition record which also indicates that such division is to be first used, as Left open, and the other of saidvdivisions also having a permanexit checkable changed condition record as Closed the body of the tag havin its integrity preserved throughout both ivisions so that the said divisions are inseparably connected and the complete tag constitutes a permanent entity.-

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of June A. D. 1909.

JOHN A. COLE. 

